This month, we take a look at Marjorie Riley who has worked many years as chair of the Diablo Satellite Group, organizing the Diablo Satellite meetings in Orinda for EB-CAMFT members and coordinating the continuing education speakers at the monthly Diablo Satellite continuing education meetings.

Marjorie stepped into the chair position in September 1999 for two years and has since taken it up again in September 2004. In addition, Marjorie has authored many articles for the EB-CAMFT newsletter, including FACES! Marjorie believes that the skills she has acquired through the chair position have helped her practice in the area of recognizing others, making introductions and leadership. Marjorie also stated that through her involvement, she became part of an invaluable consultation group born out of the Diablo Satellite Group that has met for many years and has added richly to her practice.

In addition to being the Diablo Satellite chair, Marjorie wears many hats – therapist, wife (married nearly 50 years!), mother and grandmother to 7 grandchildren who are her pride and joy! Marjorie pursued a career in therapy after employing a JFK counseling student in her bicycle shop, a business she ran with her husband for many years. That was 15 years ago and since then, Marjorie has been touching the lives of others through her agency and private practice work in San Francisco and Oakland, from which she is in the process of retiring. She has spent the last 15 years specializing in lesbian and gay issues, AIDS, sexual abuse, and couples’ and seniors’ therapy.

A few months ago, Marjorie made the decision to semi-retire. She closed her East Bay private practice late spring. She continues to see clients one day per week in her San Francisco office. She keeps her part-time practice diverse, specializing in group work, AIDS related issues and couples work. Additionally, Marjorie has retired from the Diablo Satellite Group chair position to allow her to pursue her other loves – her grandchildren and her garden. As for the rest of her time, she is currently taking a class in Shakespearean drama and traveling. She recently returned from an Elder Hostel educational tour of Italy, which focused on Florentine architecture and sculpture.

Through her many years of therapy practice, Marjorie has valuable insight to offer interns and members who are in the process of developing their practice. She believes strongly in becoming involved in a professional organization such as EB-CAMFT. It provokes thoughtfulness in practice, guards against isolation and expands clinical skills. Additionally, she says that developing a specialty and maintaining a connection with an agency have helped her tremendously in her career. For example, Marjorie’s early involvement and continued connection to the UCSF AIDS Health Project paved the way for her specialty in private practice.

I asked Marjorie if she had any insights for other retirees. She thoughtfully responded that my question is something each person needs to decide for himself or herself. She said that she likes to be busy and that she is the finding middle ground between letting go of bureaucratic responsibility and choosing interests that enrich her soul.

In conclusion, Marjorie wishes to thank past co-chair Janell Johnson and current assistant co-chairs, Leslie Baker and Penny James for their hard work and continued dedication to EB-CAMFT and the Diablo Satellite Group in addition to Cynthia Pastor for taking over her Diablo Satellite Chair duties. Marjorie would like members to know that even though she is retiring, she is still apart of CAMFT and the counseling profession. She thinks of EB-CAMFT often and hopes others will think of her too! EB-CAMFT wishes Marjorie many blessings and good fortune in her retirement and thanks her sincerely for her years of dedicated service to the chapter and her contribution to the profession of counseling. We could never forget her!